JP2003066814A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce the operation that an operator does to load and unload a process cartridge in and from a device main body 1 and to securely position the process cartridge 4b in the device main body. SOLUTION: An image forming device in which a photosensitive drum 4b1 and a process cartridge 4b having a process means operating the photosensitive drum 4b1 are freely attachably and detachably arranged and an image is formed on a recording medium, has a developing unit, a pressing means 4e which can press the developing unit against the photosensitive drum 4b1 and cancel the pressing, a coupling member 4i which is coupled with a coupling part 4b8 of the process cartridge 4b when the process cartridge 4b is loaded, and a cartridge cover 7j which is opened and closed when the process cartridge 4b is loaded in the device main body.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electrophotographic image forming apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, among image forming apparatuses, those of the type intended to facilitate maintenance of the apparatus include an image carrier and one or a plurality of electrophotographic process means, such as a charging device and a cleaning device. There is known one in which a process cartridge contained in one housing is prepared and the process cartridge is attached to and detached from a cartridge receiving portion of the apparatus main body.

In the image forming apparatus having the detachable process cartridge of this kind, since the process cartridge is detachable, for example, an indispensable external load such as a driving gear or a pressure load by the transfer roller is applied. There is a problem that the position of the process cartridge is difficult to stabilize, and in order to obtain better image quality, development has been made on how to stabilize the position of the process cartridge attached to the apparatus main body.

Conventionally, in an image forming apparatus using an electrophotographic image forming process, after inserting the process cartridge, the operator himself / herself uses a screw or the like to prevent the process cartridge from popping out from the positioning position by the developing pressure of the developing device. May have to fix the process cartridge, and the process cartridge insertion port may be on the side surface of the image forming apparatus main body for the purpose of improving the jam processing.

[0005]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional example, since the process cartridge is inserted, the operator stands on the side surface to fix the process cartridge, so that the process cartridge is mounted on the main body of the image forming apparatus. In this case, or when the process cartridge is taken out from the apparatus main body, the operation force is large, and the workability of mounting and removing the process cartridge is poor.

The present invention has been made in order to solve the above technical problems, and reduces the work when the operator attaches and detaches the process cartridge to and from the apparatus main body.
An object of the present invention is to provide an electrophotographic image forming apparatus in which a process cartridge can be reliably positioned in the apparatus main body.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, a typical structure of the present invention is such that a process cartridge having an image bearing member and process means acting on the image bearing member is detachably configured. In an image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording medium, a developing means provided with a developing container for accommodating a developer for developing a latent image formed on an image carrier in the process cartridge; A pressing member provided for pressing and urging the pressing member toward the carrier, and a coupling member that is coupled with the coupling portion of the process cartridge when the process cartridge is mounted; And a cartridge cover that opens and closes when the process cartridge is mounted inside the apparatus main body.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS (First Embodiment) Next, a first embodiment of a process cartridge and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus according to the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the longitudinal direction means a horizontal direction which is orthogonal to the inserting direction of the process cartridge into the apparatus main body. Further, the direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction is called the lateral direction.

The process cartridge described above is
It is provided with a photosensitive drum as an image carrier and at least one process means (for example, developing means, charging means, cleaning means, etc.) that acts on the photosensitive drum.

A copying machine will be described as an example of the image forming apparatus of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a sectional view of the apparatus main body, and FIG.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a copying apparatus in which a document conveying section is mounted, FIG. 3 is an explanatory view of a developing and pressing section, FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the apparatus main body, and FIG. 5 is a cup of the first embodiment. In the explanatory view when the ring is released, (a) is a left side view, (b) is a front view,
6 (c) is a bottom view, FIG. 6 is an explanatory view of the coupling set of the first embodiment, (a) is a left side view, (b) is a front view, and (c) is a bottom view.

The apparatus main body 1 of the copying apparatus has a document transport unit 2 for stacking a plurality of documents D and transporting them one by one, an image reading unit 3 for reading image information of the document D, and an image formed by a laser beam printer. A forming unit 4, an operation unit 5 including a display unit and input keys, and a cassette feeding unit 6 that stores a plurality of sheet materials S as recording media and conveys the sheets one by one.
An MP (multi-paper) feeding unit 7, a control unit for controlling the entire apparatus, a power supply, and the like.

An image reading unit 3 is provided on the upper part of the apparatus main body 1. The image reading unit 3 supports the image forming unit 4, an exterior cover 11 supporting the main body control panel 51, and the image reading unit 3.
Is supported by a column 10 that supports the right front side of the.

Below the image reading unit 3, there is provided a recording and discharging unit 8 as a discharging unit, which has a so-called in-body discharging structure. The recording and discharging unit 8 and the image reading unit 3 are the image reading unit 3.
It is partitioned by the leader bottom plate 3a provided in the.

(Reader) On the upper surface of the image reading section 3, a document table glass 3b, a flow reading glass 3c, and a jump table 3d are provided. Further, an original conveying device 2 having an original pressure plate 3e is provided above the image reading unit 3 and behind the image reading unit 3 via a hinge (not shown).

In the image reading section 3, a contact type image sensor 3f which is an image reading means, a carriage 3g, a guide shaft 3h, a timing belt 3i, a drive pulley 3j,
It is possible to provide the image processing relay board 3k and arrange the document size detection sensor 3l as an option.

The contact image sensor 3f includes a one-dimensional photoelectric conversion element (not shown) and a SELFOC lens (trademark).
And a device in which light sources are arranged on both sides of a SELFOC lens (trademark) and they are housed in a single housing.

The contact type image sensor 3f is a carriage 3
g is elastically supported by a spring (not shown) and is urged in the direction of the original platen glass 3b, and the distance to the original document D placed on the original platen glass 3b is maintained at a constant distance so as not to fall out of the focal depth. There is.

The carriage 3g is connected to a timing belt 3i driven by a reading drive motor 3m, and reciprocates in the image reading unit 3 along a guide shaft 3h perpendicular to the one-dimensional photoelectric conversion element in the contact image sensor 3f. To do. The position of the contact image sensor 3f is controlled by the rotation frequency and the rotation time of the motor with the detection timing of the home position sensor 3n as a base point.

The document D is placed on the document table glass 3b,
When the document feeding device 2 including the document pressure plate 3e is closed, the document size detection sensor 3l detects the size of the document at a timing of a predetermined opening / closing angle.

As shown in FIG. 2, when the copy start key 5a is pressed, the detected document size and the operation section 5 are detected.
The sheet material S of a predetermined size is selected according to the information of the scaling ratio input from, and the feeding operation of the sheet material S is started. If the sheet material S of an appropriate size does not exist,
This is displayed on the display unit 5b.

After pressing the start key 5a, shading is performed, scanning is performed from the leading edge of the original, and A / D conversion is performed by the image processing relay board 3k provided in the image reading section 3 to the image processing section of the apparatus main body 1. Sent. Contact image sensor 3
f and the image processing relay board 3k are electrically connected by a flat cable (not shown). When the scanning is completed, the reading drive motor 3m rotates in the reverse direction to return the contact image sensor 3f to the original standby position.

(DF) The structure and operation of the document feeder 2 are as follows. The original document table 2a is provided with a slider 2b which is slidable in a direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction of the original document D (width direction of the original document D), and both of the original documents D stacked on the original document table 2a by the slider 2b. The sides can be aligned.

When a document D is placed on the document table 2a,
The presence of a document is detected by the document detection sensor 2c, the size of the document is detected by the width detection sensor 2e which detects the movement amount of the length detection sensor 2d and the slider 2b, and the main body control panel 51 in the apparatus main body 1 is informed. Is passed, and the sheet material S of a predetermined size is selected according to the scaling ratio input from the operation unit 5. If the sheet material S having an appropriate size does not exist, the fact is displayed on the display unit 5b.

When the document detecting sensor 2c does not detect the document, it is determined that the document is placed on the document table glass 3b which is the stationary reading side, and the contact image sensor 3f causes the document table glass 3b to operate. Scan side.

When the start key 5a on the operation unit 5 is pressed, the contact type image sensor 3f performs shading and moves below the flow reading glass 3c on the opposite side of the original platen glass 3b with the jump table 3d interposed therebetween. Stand still. Separation pad 2f for separating a plurality of documents D stacked on document table 2a
The sheets are separated one by one by a separating roller 2g that is in pressure contact with the sheet, and are conveyed by a U-turn path 2i by a document conveying roller 2h.

When the document D further passes the document leading edge detecting sensor 2j, it is conveyed to the first image reading section 3p by the feeding roller 2k or the like, and the leading edge of the document reaches the image reading position where the contact image sensor 3f stops. Then, the original image is started to be scanned, and the image signal is subjected to A / D conversion by the image processing relay board 3k and sent to an image processing unit (not shown) of the apparatus main body 1.

In the first image reading section 3p, the image information of the document D is read by the retard roller 2l while the document D is brought close to the flow reading glass 3c. The document D is scooped from the upper surface of the scanning glass 3c by the jump table 3d, and is discharged onto the document discharge tray 2n via the document discharge roller 2m. When all the originals stacked on the original table 2a have been read and the original detection sensor 2c detects "no original", the contact image sensor 3f returns to the original standby position.

(Cassette) The cassette feeding section 6 is composed of a feeder section 6a which is attachable to and detachable from the apparatus main body 1, and a feeding cassette 6b which is attachable to and detachable from the feeder section 6a. The feeder section 6a has a function as a structure for supporting the apparatus main body 1 from below, and a plurality of feeder sections can be connected below the apparatus main body 1.

The feeding cassette 6b is a cassette middle plate 6d for urging a bundle of sheet materials S toward the pickup roller 6c, and a separating claw 6e for limiting the number of sheets of the sheet material S that cooperate with the pickup roller 6c. And a side regulation plate 6f for regulating the width direction of the bundle of sheet materials S and a rear edge regulation plate 6g for regulating the rear end of the bundle of sheet materials S. The side edge surface of the sheet material S is regulated by a side regulation plate 6f mounted so as to be movable according to the sheet size, so that skewing and non-feeding can be prevented.

The image is recorded on the upper surface side of the sheet material S stacked in the feeding cassette 6b. The presence or absence of the sheet material S is detected by the cassette sensor 6h. Further, the above-described feeding cassette 6b is capable of stacking about 500 sheets of material in the present embodiment, and is configured to be drawn out in the front direction with respect to the apparatus main body 1 (front loading method). Further, sheet materials of various sheet sizes (for example, 7 types of A3, A4, A5, B4, B5, letter, and legal) can be stacked on the feeding cassette 6b.

Sheet material S stacked in the feeding cassette 6b
The middle plate 6d of the cassette is urged upward by the middle plate spring 6i, is pressed against the semi-circular pickup roller 6c, and is squeezed in cooperation with the separation claw 6e located on the tip side of the middle plate 6d of the cassette. When the main body control panel 51 in the apparatus main body 1 triggers to squeeze the sheet material S, the pickup roller 6c receives power from a motor (not shown), and the power is also connected by an electromagnetic clutch (not shown) to cause the sheet material S to move. Perform tie-up operation.

The sheet material S which has been fed in a bundle by the feeding is separated into one sheet by the feeding roller 2k and the retard roller 2l. A retry sensor 6j and a pull-out roller 6k are provided downstream of the feeding roller 2k. When the sheet material S is not detected by the retry sensor 6j even after a predetermined time has elapsed after a trigger for driving the pickup roller 6c is applied, The main body control panel 51 again triggers the rotation of the pickup roller 6c to perform the operation of pulling out the sheet material S.

The leading edge of the separated sheet material S is detected by the registration sensor 7g after a predetermined time. If the registration sensor 7g does not detect the leading edge of the sheet material S within a predetermined time after the feeding is started, it is determined as a jam, and the operation unit 5
It is designed to display. Further, although it is already described that the cassette feeding unit 6 and the apparatus main body 1 described above are attachable / detachable, the cassette feeding unit 6 of the second and subsequent stages having the same configuration as the cassette feeding unit 6 can be used. It is possible to add more.

(MP) MP (multi-paper) feeding section 7
Includes an MP feeding roller 7a, an MP separation pad 7b, an MP intermediate plate 7c, an MP tray 7d, an MP extension tray 7e, an MP intermediate plate spring (not shown), and a sheet regulating plate 7f.

The sheet material S can also be conveyed from the MP feeding section 7, a plurality of sheet materials S are placed on the MP tray 7d, and the MP feeding roller 7a and the MP separation pad 7b cooperate with each other. By this, it is conveyed to the registration roller pair 7h inside the main body.

When the MP feeding unit 7 is used, the MP tray 7d that can be opened and closed is used for the normal size sheet material, and the MP extension tray 7e is pulled out for the size sheet material that cannot be stacked on the MP tray 7d. This prevents the trailing edge of the sheet material from protruding from the MP tray 7d and hanging down. Also, MP
The middle plate 7c is urged upward by the MP middle plate spring, but since the MP middle plate 7c is pushed down by a cam (not shown) in the standby state, the sheet material S is pressed against the MP middle plate 7c.
It is possible to load

When a signal for instructing the start of MP feeding is output from the main body control panel 51 of the apparatus main body 1, a cam (not shown) is rotated and the MP middle plate 7c is released by pushing down and loaded. The sheet material S is pressed into contact with the semi-circular MP feeding roller 7a, and is separated and conveyed one by one by the friction piece separation method by the MP separation pad 7b. The separated sheet material S is MP
The pressure contact conveyance is continued by the feed roller 7a and the MP separation pad 7b, the merge with the cassette feed conveyance path 7i and the delivery to the registration roller pair 7h.

When the registration sensor 7g detects the leading end of the sheet material S within a predetermined time after the feeding is started,
The separated sheet material S is separated from the MP feeding roller 7a and the MP feeding roller 7a.
The separation pad 7b continues the pressure contact conveyance and is guided to the pressure contact nip portion of the registration roller pair 7h. Within a predetermined time after the feeding is started, the registration sensor 7g moves the sheet material S
When the tip of the is not detected, it is determined that a jam has occurred, and the operation unit 5 displays it.

(Image Forming Section) The image forming section 4 includes an image forming section 4
A and the fixing unit 4B. The image forming unit 4A includes a laser scanner 4a, a process cartridge 4b integrated with toner as a developer, and a transfer roller 4c as a transfer unit.
The process cartridge 4b includes a photosensitive drum 4b1, a charging roller 4b2, a developing sleeve 4b3, a cleaning blade 4b4, a toner hopper 4b5, and a cartridge housing 4b6. It is possible.

(Laser Scanner) Laser Scanner 4
a is a laser beam oscillator 4a1 and a polygon mirror 4
The laser beam oscillator 4a1 emits a modulation signal, the polygon mirror 4a2 irradiates the photosensitive drum 4b1 with scanning light, and the folding mirror 4a3 reflects the scanning light.

(Tram Cartridge) The photosensitive drum 4b1 includes the process cartridge 4 together with the charging roller 4b2, the developing sleeve 4b3, and the cleaning blade 4b4.
It is integrated into the inside of b and is detachable from the apparatus main body 1. The surface of the photosensitive drum 4b1 is uniformly charged by the charging roller 4b2, and a latent image is formed by irradiating the surface with scanning light from the laser beam oscillator 4a1.

(Developing Device) In the developing device as the developing means, the developing sleeve 4b3 and the toner hopper 4b5 are the developing device housing 4
It is integrally incorporated in the inside of b6, and is supported rotatably in the longitudinal direction by the support shaft 4b7 (see FIG. 3) with respect to the apparatus main body 1. The latent image formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 4b1 in the process cartridge is made visible by the toner supplied from the developing sleeve 4b3.

(Toner hopper) Toner hopper 4b5
Is detachable in the longitudinal direction from the developing device so that toner can be replenished into the developing container.

(Development Pressurization) As shown in FIG. 3, there is a pressing means 4e which is provided so as to be able to press the developing device toward the photosensitive drum 4b1 and release the pressing force. The rotary shaft portion is rotatably supported by an elastic pressure member 4e1 for developing pressure and a handle 4e2 for pressing.

(Fixing) A thermal fixing device 4d and a first discharging roller 4f1 are arranged in the sheet conveying path on the downstream side of the image forming section 4A. The heat fixing device 4d includes the heat fixing roller 4d1, the pressure roller 4d2, and the pressure roller 4d2.
A pressure spring (not shown) for urging the roller in the direction of, a fixing release lever 4d3 for releasing the urging pressure of both rollers, and a fixing frame 4d4 for supporting them, and a heater 4d5 inside the heat fixing roller 4d1. A temperature detection sensor (not shown) is provided in contact with the surface of the heat fixing roller 4d1.

When the registration roller pair 7h is driven at a predetermined timing based on the signal from the registration sensor 7g,
The sheet material S is conveyed to the image forming unit 4A by the pair of registration rollers 7h. The predetermined timing means the photosensitive drum 4b.
The timing is such that the leading edge of the toner image formed in 1 and the leading edge of the sheet material S coincide with each other.

After the toner image formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 4b1 is transferred by the transfer roller 4c, the sheet material S is conveyed along the sheet conveying portion, and further, the heat fixing device 4d.
After the toner image is fixed by the first discharge roller 4f
It is discharged to the first discharge tray 4f2 by 1. Further, there is a fan duct behind the fixing unit 4B, and the heat inside the apparatus is released to the outside by a cooling fan (not shown).

(Cover) As shown in FIG. 4, the apparatus main body 1
The cartridge cover 7j with respect to the apparatus main body 1,
It is provided so as to be drawn out along the rail 7k of the cartridge cover, and by opening the MP tray 7d and the cartridge cover 7j, the process cartridge 4b can be drawn out of the apparatus main body 1 and replaced.
Further, the cartridge cover 7j is provided with an interlock mechanism so that the recording apparatus main body 1 does not operate when the cartridge cover 7j is opened or the process cartridge 4b is not set in the apparatus main body 1.

If a jam occurs during image formation,
By opening any of the feeder cover 6l, the cartridge cover 7j, and the discharge cover 4f3, the sheet material S retained inside can be taken out.

(Discharging) The sheet material S after fixing is discharged to the first discharging tray 4f2 by the first discharging roller 4f composed of three rollers while the recording image surface faces down by the first reversing path 4f4. The three first discharge rollers 4f are provided one outside and one inside the first reversing path 4f4, and the two inner rollers are biased by the outer one roller, respectively. The sheet material S is subjected to reverse curl correction along the outer circumference of the outer roller.

When a large amount of sheet materials S are stacked on the first discharge tray 4f2 and detected by the first full load detection sensor 4f5, the full load is displayed on the operation unit 5 and the recording operation is stopped. Further, a second discharge tray 4h1 can be optionally provided above the first discharge tray 4f2.

The sheet material S after fixing is fed to the second discharge tray 4h.
When the sheet material S is discharged to 1, the sheet material S is discharged in the second discharge tray 4h1 via the second reversing path 4h2 and the second discharge roller 4h3 by changing the conveying direction of the sheet material S with the discharge flapper g. The second discharge roller 4h3 and the second full load detection sensor 4h4 have the same configurations as the first discharge roller 4f and the first full load detection sensor 4f5, respectively.

In the case where the second discharge tray 4h1 is mounted, when the first discharge tray 4f2 is fully loaded, the sheet material S is placed on the second discharge tray 4h1 without stopping the recording operation.
Can also be discharged. In addition to the copy function, this apparatus has a facsimile transmission / reception function and a network print function, and it is possible to selectively switch the output use of the first discharge tray 4f2 and the second discharge tray 4h1.

(Coupling Member) The structure of the coupling member will be described with reference to FIGS. Inside the apparatus body 1, a coupling member 4i for coupling the coupling portion 4b8 of the process cartridge 4b is provided. The coupling member 4i is provided with tapered portions 4i1 and 4i2, which are tapered grooves, and is attached so as to be swingable in the longitudinal direction.

When the cartridge cover 7j is pulled out, this taper acts on the rail 7k of the cartridge cover 7j and the taper portion 4i1 of the coupling member 4i in the direction for releasing the coupling, as shown in FIG.
When mounting the cartridge cover, as shown in FIG. 6, the coupling is set by the rail 7k of the cartridge cover 7j and the taper portion 4i2 of the coupling member 4i.

Therefore, by opening and closing the cartridge cover 7j, the rail 7k and the taper portion 4 of the coupling member 4i.
By transmitting the functions of i1 and 4i2, the coupling member 4i of the process cartridge 4b can be coupled and accurate positioning can be performed. In this figure, only the front side coupling mechanism is shown, but the back side can also be similarly coupled.

(Second Embodiment) Next, a second embodiment of the process cartridge and the electrophotographic image forming apparatus according to the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the drawings. The same components as those in the above-described embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted. 7A and 7B are explanatory views of the second embodiment when the coupling is released, FIG. 7A is a left side view, and FIG. 8B is a front view, and FIG. 8 is an explanatory view of the coupling set of the second embodiment. ,
(A) is a left side view and (b) is a front view.

(Coupling Member) The structure of the coupling member will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8. Inside the apparatus main body 1, a coupling member 4j for coupling the coupling portion 4b8 of the process cartridge 4b is provided. As shown in FIG. 7, the apparatus main body 1 has a link member 4k between the coupling member 4j and the pressing means 4e, and the coupling member 4j and the pressing means 4e.
(See FIG. 3) are interlocked. Device body 1
A coupling member 4j for coupling the coupling portion 4b8 of the process cartridge 4b is provided inside
Is provided.

The link member 4k is a tapered guide 4k.
1, 4k2 and a groove 4k3 are provided and swingably attached to a rail guide 4l that guides a rail 7k of the apparatus main body 1. The coupling member is provided with a tapered guide 4j1 corresponding to the link member, and is attached so as to be swingable in the longitudinal direction.

Further, a protrusion 4e3 is provided on the handle 4e2 of the developing pressurizing unit, which corresponds to the groove 4k3 of the link member 4k, and is set in a direction in which the coupling is released by the link member 4k when releasing the developing pressurization. When the developing pressure is set, the coupling member 4j is set by the link member 4k.

Therefore, it is possible to perform accurate positioning by coupling the coupling portion 4b8 of the process cartridge 4b through the link member 4k by the pressurizing and releasing operations of the developing pressure.

Although FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 show the coupling mechanism only on the front side, it is preferable to perform the coupling on the back side as well.

Further, although the link member is used in this embodiment, the effect of the above embodiment can be obtained by using the interlocking mechanism such as the cam and the gear.

(Other Embodiments) In the above-described embodiments, a laser beam printer was described as an example of the image forming apparatus, but the image forming apparatus is not limited to this, and a copying machine, a facsimile machine or the like is used as the image forming apparatus. You can also do it.

Further, as a mode of the process cartridge, in addition to the embodiment described above, for example, the photosensitive drum and the charging means are integrally formed into a cartridge, which is attachable to and detachable from the apparatus main body. The photosensitive drum and the developing means are integrated into a cartridge that can be attached to and detached from the main body of the device. The photosensitive drum and the cleaning means are integrally made into a cartridge that can be attached to and detached from the main body of the apparatus. Further, there is one in which a photosensitive drum and two or more of the above-mentioned process means are combined into an integrated cartridge, which can be attached to and detached from the apparatus main body.

That is, the above-mentioned process cartridge is one in which the charging means, the developing means or the cleaning means and the photosensitive drum are integrally made into a cartridge, and the cartridge can be attached to and detached from the apparatus main body. Also, at least one of the charging means, the developing means, and the cleaning means and the photosensitive drum are integrally made into a cartridge so that it can be attached to and detached from the apparatus main body. Furthermore, at least the developing means and the photosensitive drum are integrally made into a cartridge so that it can be attached to and detached from the apparatus main body. Since the process cartridge can be attached to and detached from the apparatus body by the user himself, the maintenance of the apparatus body can be easily carried out by the user himself.

[0067]

As described above, in the present invention, the developing means, and the pressing means which is provided so as to press the developing means toward the image carrier and release the pressing force. It has a coupling member that is coupled with a coupling portion of the process cartridge when the process cartridge is mounted, and a cartridge cover that opens and closes when the process cartridge is mounted inside the apparatus main body.

Since the coupling member and the coupling portion are arranged in the image forming apparatus, the operator can reduce the work when the process cartridge is attached to and detached from the apparatus main body, and the process cartridge can be reliably positioned with respect to the apparatus main body. it can.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a device body.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the copying apparatus in which a document conveying unit is mounted.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a developing pressure unit.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a device body.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram when the coupling is released according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of the coupling set according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of the second embodiment when a coupling is released.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of the coupling set according to the second embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

D ... manuscript S ... Sheet material g ... Discharge flapper 1 ... Device body 2… Original transport section 2a ... manuscript table 2b ... slider 2c ... Document detection sensor 2d ... Length detection sensor 2e ... Width detection sensor 2f ... Separation pad 2g ... Separation roller 2h ... Document transport roller 2i ... U Turn Pass 2j ... Document leading edge detection sensor 2k ... Feeding roller 2l ... retard roller 2m… Original discharging roller 2n ... Original discharge tray 3 ... Image reading unit 3a ... Leader bottom plate 3b ... Platen glass 3c ... Scanning glass 3d ... jump platform 3e ... original pressure plate 3f ... Contact image sensor 3g ... carriage 3h ... Guide shaft 3i ... Timing belt 3j ... Drive pulley 3k ... Image processing relay board 3l ... Original size detection sensor 3m ... Reading drive motor 3n ... Home position sensor 3p ... First image reading unit 4 ... Image forming unit 4A ... Image forming department 4B ... Fixing unit 4a ... Laser scanner 4a1 ... Laser beam oscillator 4a2 ... Polygon mirror 4a3 ... Mirror 4b ... Process cartridge 4b1 ... Photosensitive drum 4b2 ... Charging roller 4b3 ... Development sleeve 4b4 ... Cleaning blade 4b5 ... Toner hopper 4b6 ... Developer housing 4b7 ... Support shaft 4b8 ... Coupling part 4c ... Transfer roller 4d ... Heat fixing device 4d1 ... Heat fixing roller 4d2 ... Pressure roller 4d3 ... Fixing release lever 4d4 ... Fixing frame 4d5 ... heater 4e ... Pressing means 4e1 ... Elastic pressure member 4e2 ... Handle 4e3 ... Protrusion 4f ... 1st discharge roller 4f1 ... Discharge roller 4f2 ... First discharge tray 4f3 ... Discharge cover 4f4 ... 1st inversion path 4f5 ... First full load detection sensor 4h1… Second discharge tray 4h2 ... 2nd inversion pass 4h3… Second discharge roller 4h4… Second full load detection sensor 4i ... Coupling member 4i1 ... Tapered part 4i2 ... Tapered part 4j ... Coupling member 4j1… Guide 4k ... Link member 4k1 ... guide 4k2 ... guide 4k3 ... Groove 4l ... Rail guide 5 ... Operation part 5a ... Start key 5b ... Display section 6 ... Cassette feeding section 6a ... Feeder section 6b ... Feed cassette 6c ... Pickup roller 6d ... Middle plate of cassette 6e ... Separation claw 6f ... Side regulation plate 6g ... Rear end regulation plate 6h ... Cassette sensor 6i ... Medium leaf spring 6j ... Retry sensor 6k ... Extraction roller 6l ... Feeder cover 7 ... MP feeding section 7a ... MP feeding roller 7b ... MP separation pad 7c ... MP middle plate 7d ... MP tray 7e ... MP extension tray 7f ... MP sheet regulation plate 7g ... Registration sensor 7h ... Pair of registration rollers 7i ... cassette feeding and conveying path 7j ... Cartridge cover 7k ... rail 8: Record ejector 10… Posts 11… Exterior cover 51… Main unit control panel

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. An image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording medium, wherein a process cartridge having an image bearing member and a process unit acting on the image bearing member is detachably attached, and the image bearing member in the process cartridge is provided. And a developing means having a developing container for accommodating the developer for developing the latent image formed on the developing means, and pressing and urging the developing means toward the image carrier so that the pressing urging can be released. A pressing member; a coupling member that is coupled with a coupling portion of the process cartridge when the process cartridge is mounted; and a cartridge cover that opens and closes when the process cartridge is mounted inside the apparatus main body. An image forming apparatus characterized by. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the coupling member is interlocked with an opening / closing operation of the cartridge cover. 3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a link member between the coupling member and the pressing unit, wherein the coupling unit and the pressing unit are interlocked with each other. A characteristic image forming apparatus. 4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cartridge cover has a transfer unit that transfers the toner image formed on the image carrier to the recording medium. Image forming apparatus. 5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the developing unit is disposed in the main body of the apparatus so as to be rotatable in a recording medium conveying direction. . 6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pressing unit is provided so as to be rotatable in a conveying direction of the recording medium, and is interlocked with a handle arranged in a main body of the apparatus. An image forming apparatus characterized by being operable by a handle. 7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the developing unit is arranged so that toner can be replenished while the process cartridge is mounted in the apparatus main body.